U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0222790 A1, published Sep. 18, 2008 sets forth a Bath and Shower Assist Means for use in a shower or bath and shower enclosure. The horizontal grip bar extending from wall to wall is the core of the invention. One of the shortcomings of the invention in the patent application is the necessity that each bar be custom made according to the dimension of the particular shower enclosure in which it will be installed. This requirement prevents mass production of the bath and shower assist means.
Also in patent application Ser. No. 11/684,611 sealing means are defined to be attached to the covering means that encapsulate the compression and tension elements that engage the wall faces of the shower enclosures. A stronger support system is provided if the sealing means also serves as bonding means between the tiles of the shower walls and the contact surfaces of the compression and tension means.